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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. root — the cause
  3. press — newspapers
  4. net — after costs
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. net — for catching
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. wound — an injury
  13. fine — high quality
  14. net — in sport
  15. wound — an injury
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bulb — for light
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. press — to push
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bark — to shout
  22. root — of a plant
  23. root — of a word
  24. fine — all right

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com